We're passionate about traveling with kids and want families everywhere to love it as much as we do.

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Common Questions CB! Vacation Consulting

What does trip planning cost?

Our complete trip planning service starts at $450 for a weeklong trip. The fee is per family. Pricing for longer trips and multiple families/ large groups is quoted on request. For families that don’t want a full itinerary, we can also help book standalone accommodations. We maintain a list of the best family-friendly accommodations that we use for our planning service; this list is comprised of vetted options on and off our website. We try to experience much of what we recommend — one of the reasons working with us is invaluable! Ciao Bambino partners with the top family travel brands and often have access to insider information around the best rooms options with kids of different ages. Ciao Bambino is also a Virtuoso Member with incredible values to pass to families who book through us.

What does the fee include?

The planning fee includes destination advice; a complete, customized itinerary; booking private tours, guides and classes; activity recommendations; and booking car rentals or other private transport. We can book cruises and through our Virtuoso relationship, sometimes have great perks to share with our clients who book with us. There are some routes where we can book flights and trains. We can advise about public transport options, but the actual ticketing is up to each client. We do not specialize in restaurant recommendations (although will suggest them if we have firsthand knowledge that they are good) and are not able to make dining reservations; we suggest working through your concierge or another accommodations contact for this.

Do you provide round-the-clock support during the trip?

Because we are a small boutique agency, not a 24/7 call center, we are not set up to handle real-time support. Our itinerary is the final deliverable for our service.

Why do you charge more for multiple families and large groups?

The bottom line is that the more people are joining the trip, the more planning hours are required, especially as our itineraries are custom for each client. Finding family-friendly accommodations that have enough space plus availability can be quite time-consuming. Many of the guides and other service providers we work with place limits on group sizes in order to ensure the personal attention our clients expect, so we often need to coordinate multiple tours and activities in order for everyone to participate. A larger group also translates to a greater volume of questions, requests and more, whether those come from various people or are funneled through a single person. We are more than happy to handle all of this and we love doing it but we find consistently that the amount of time needed for bigger groups justifies the higher pricing.

Why do you collect the planning fee before creating the itinerary?

It’s simply a matter of protection. This policy safeguards us from the small chance that someone might take advantage of our work on the itinerary without compensating us.

How long does it take to plan a trip?

Because every itinerary we create is tailored specifically for the client, and because there are so many variables with regard to destinations and more, there is no set answer to this question. We work as efficiently as possible to source accommodations, craft the itinerary and handle all necessary bookings. At the start of the planning process, your trip planner will go over the expected timeline with you.

Can I book my own accommodations?

Yes, you may book your accommodations; however, please let us know at the beginning if you wish to do this. Booking accommodations is time-intensive. Once we’ve started selecting properties and requesting quotes on your behalf, we ask that you not decouple this part of the process from the other aspects of our service.

I booked accommodations before I found Ciao Bambino. Do you plan activities only?

We are glad to create activities-only itineraries. In these instances, we may be able to prorate the fee accordingly on a case-by-case basis. Your trip planner will discuss this with you in more detail.

Do I need a visa/international driver's license/travel insurance? Can you arrange these for me?

Every country has its own laws and requirements; clients are responsible for making sure they understand and meet them. We recommend checking with the Department of State or other government entity in your home country. We highly recommend buying travel insurance and sell a few of the top-rated carriers in the industry.

Terms and Conditions CB! Vacation Planning

Ciao Bambino Policies and Procedures

Fees

The trip planning fee compensates us for the time and research involved in the planning process. We also receive a commission directly from accommodations we request on your behalf; this does not increase the cost to you, as the hotels pay commission off the Best Available Rate provided. In order to receive commission, we must initiate the hotel request, even for accommodations not on our website. If you find a property that looks appealing that is not on our site, please send it along and we’ll provide feedback and connect with the accommodation on your behalf.

Accommodation Quote Timing

The trip planning process is a collaborative one. During peak periods in particular, the limited number of rooms that can accommodate families are prized. Please be sure and get back to us within 24 hours of receiving a request to ensure you can access your first choice.

American Express and Loyalty Point Programs

We can book rooms for you via the American Express Fine Hotels program. If you plan on using points to book rooms, please let us know this at the beginning of the process. We are unable to book these on your behalf.

Adjusting Travelers or Dates of Accommodations

Once accommodations are secured, we’ll ask you to approve this part of the itinerary. If you have changes to the number of people traveling in your party or to the dates, this requires us to start the request process from scratch. While we are happy to do this, please note we charge an additional fee for the revision.

Changes to An Approved Itinerary

We will ask you to sign off on the final itinerary. Please review all of the information very carefully against your confirmation documents and correspondence. Any changes or updates after you sign off on the itinerary must be made directly with the hotel or service provider. Ciao Bambino cannot be held liable for any cancellation or no-show charges. We recommend that you reconfirm the meeting place and time with private guides or other service providers 48 hours in advance.

Travel Insurance

Travel Agency Terms and Conditions

Ciao Bambino clients also agree to the following Terms and Conditions:

Ciao Bambino acts only as an agent for its clients with respect to arrangements for accommodations, services, and/or transportation. Ciao Bambino expressly disclaims any responsibility or liability for injury, damage, delay, accident or irregularity incurred by the client in connection with the services of any accommodation, airplane, ship, train, or other conveyance involved in the implementation of travel arrangements. Similarly, Ciao Bambino is not the agent for any nanny or nanny service, and expressly disclaims any responsibility or liability for any injury, damage, loss, accident or death incurred in connection with the provision of childcare services. The client’s contractual relationship with respect to all accommodation, transportation, or service arrangements shall be specifically with the particular provider, thereof, and all claims or losses attendant thereto shall be strictly between the client and the provider, in accordance with the terms and conditions of the provider’s contractual documents and arrangements.

YOUR USE OF ANY CIAO BAMBINO SERVICE OR PRODUCT IS AT YOUR SOLE RISK WHICH ARE PROVIDED ON AN “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. CIAO BAMBINO MAKES NO WARRANTY, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED WITH RESPECT TO ITS WEBSITE AND ANY SERVICES OR PRODUCTS, AND SPECIFICALLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES FOR MERCHANTABILITY, AND FITNESS FOR ANY PARTICULAR PURPOSE. CIAO BAMBINO’S SOLE OBLIGATION AND LIABILITY FOR ANY FAILURE TO PROVIDE SERVICES OR PRODUCTS SHALL BE, AT CIAO BAMBINO’S OPTION, TO REFUND TO CUSTOMER THE AMOUNT PAID BY CUSTOMER THEREFORE. IN NO EVENT SHALL CIAO BAMBINO’S LIABILITY RELATED TO THIS WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR PRODUCTS EXCEED THE PURCHASE PRICE ACTUALLY PAID. IN NO EVENT SHALL CIAO BAMBINO BE LIABLE TO THE CUSTOMER OR TO ANY THIRD PARTY FOR ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE OR EXEMPLARY DAMAGES (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION LOST PROFITS, LOST SAVINGS, OR LOSS OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY) ARISING OUT OF OR RELATING TO THIS WEBSITE OR ANY SERVICES OR PRODUCTS PROVIDED OR TO BE PROVIDED BY CIAO BAMBINO, OR THE USE OR INABILITY TO USE THE SAME, EVEN IF CIAO BAMBINO HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

To the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify and hold Ciao Bambino and its affiliates, officers, agents, employees, partners and licensors harmless from any claim or demand, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, made by any third party due to or arising out of your acts or omissions relating to the services and products provided or offered by Ciao Bambino. You agree that there shall be no third-party beneficiaries to these Terms of Service. These Terms of Service constitutes the entire agreement between you and Ciao Bambino and governs your use of all services and products provided or offered by Ciao Bambino, superseding any prior agreements between you and Ciao Bambino with respect thereto. You also may be subject to additional terms and conditions that may apply when you use or purchase certain other Ciao Bambino, affiliate or third party property services or products. These Terms of Service and the relationship between you and Ciao Bambino shall be governed by the laws of the State of California without regard to its conflict of law provisions. You and Ciao Bambino agree to submit to the personal and exclusive jurisdiction of the courts located within the county of San Francisco, California. The failure of Ciao Bambino to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms of Service shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of these Terms of Service is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of these Terms of Service remain in full force and effect. You agree that regardless of any statute or law to the contrary, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to use of any Ciao Bambino service or product or these Terms of Service must be filed within one (1) year after such claim or cause of action arose or be forever barred.

Our Family Vacation Advisors work with families who could do it all by themselves, but would rather not. They realize that pulling experts into the process saves time, money, and best of all, ensures that their vacation is optimized for fun and relaxation.

We’re different

For over a decade, we’ve paired invaluable travel content with well-traveled parent experts who help families plan vacations around the world. There’s no other dedicated family travel resource available that offers our level of knowledge and one-on-one service. We draw our insight from our own travel experiences, as well as the hundreds of families who have used Ciao Bambino and returned to us with feedback.

No two family vacations are the same

Designing a family vacation that meets the needs of everyone is an art. Hopes and dreams for a vacation are fluid; what you want for one vacation may differ radically from what you want for another, not to mention that families are all different in their needs and expectations. We understand this, which is why every itinerary we plan is 100% customized.

Think of us as your filter

The Web is filled with pages and pages of travel information. Not all of it is reliable and not all of it will be relevant for you. Planning a family vacation can be overwhelming. We help families cut through the noise and get to the information that matters.

What we do

Our Family Vacation Advisors work one-on-one with each family to define their ideal vacation based on time of year, destination, budget, ages, and interests. We process this information and, in turn, recommend hotels, classes, guides, and activities from our exclusive list of resources developed over the last 10 years.

Is CB! Vacation Planning right for you?

Some families get a kick out of going through the process of doing their own research and booking: this might be you. For others, keying into the guidance and inside knowledge of a trip planner simplifies the whole trip experience. Some clients come to us with loads of ideas and information, while others have just destinations or experiences in mind: we are equally at ease in both situations and we pride ourselves on our ability to listen, understand what you’re after, and then make trip recommendations that ‘knock it out of the park’.

If you know where you are going and only want help with accommodation recommendations, we’ll ask you to outline what you are looking for and then outline how we can help. Accommodation booking help within the CB! Hotel Collection is free; more time-intensive requests requiring sourcing options from an extended list of vetted options will be quoted on request. For more comprehensive assistance, our consultants charge a flat fee for their planning time, starting at $450 for a weeklong trip. Price transparency is our motto. Given our high service level, CB! Vacation Planning pays for itself in spades when you consider the time saved, resources you’d never know about, and one-on-one advice.

The CB! Trip Planning Process

Reach out to us

We’ll set up an introductory call to explain our service

A kick-off call outlines all your trip goals and objectives

We get to work designing your itinerary

We recommend & book accommodations with your approval

Design of the activities, classes and experiences that make your trip incredible